Program Overview

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design is a comprehensive program that requires a total of 120 hours to complete. The program is divided into several components, including core courses, art history, pre-portfolio review, concentration, and electives.

Program Structure

• Core: Total Hours 43
• Art History: Total Hours 9
• Pre-Portfolio Review: Total Hours 16
• Concentration: Total Hours 49
• Electives: Total Hours 9

Course Requirements

The program is designed to be completed over four years, with the following courses required for each year:

Freshman Year

• Fall Course:
  • GDSN 1100: Orientation to Graphic Design | 1 hour
  • GDSN 1301: Introduction to Graphic Software | 3 hours
  • GDSN 1380: Foundations of Design | 3 hours
  • ARTS 1301: Drawing I | 3 hours
  • FYES 1211: First Year Experience Seminar | 2 hours
  • ENGL 1301: Composition I | 3 hours Total Hours: 15
• Spring Course:
  • GDSN 1310: Image Lab | 3 hours
  • GDSN 1390: Typography I | 3 hours
  • ENGL 1312: Composition II | 3 hours
  • PHIL 1381: Intro to Philosophy | 3 hours
  • MATH | 3 hours
  • PEHP Activity Course | 1 hour Total Hours: 16

Sophomore Year

• Fall Course:
  • GDSN 2305: Visual Language | 3 hours
  • GDSN 2390: Typography II | 3 hours
  • Art/Design Elective | 3 hours
  • ARTH 2361: Art History: Ancient to Medieval | 3 hours
  • ENGL 2310: World Literature | 3 hours Total Hours: 15
• Spring Course:
  • GDSN 2300: IA I: Basic Design and Languages | 3 hours
  • GDSN 2301: Motion and Story Telling | 3 hours
  • GDSN 2310: GD I: Intro to Visual Comm. | 3 hours
  • ARTH 2362: Art History: Renn to Modern | 3 hours
  • Science with Lab | 4 hours Total Hours: 16

Junior Year

• Fall Course:
  • GDSN 3300: IA II: User Interface Design | 3 hours
  • GDSN 3310: GD II: Visual Systems | 3 hours
  • GDSN 4330: History of Comm. Design | 3 hours
  • Modern Language I | 3 hours
  • Social Science Elective | 3 hours Total Hours: 15
• Spring Course:
  • GDSN 4300: IA III: Dynamic Web Systems | 3 hours
  • GDSN 4310: GD III: Information Design | 3 hours
  • GDSN 4325: Business of Design | 3 hours
  • Modern Language II | 3 hours
  • ARTH 3360: Survey of Contemporary Art | 3 hours Total Hours: 15

Senior Year

• Fall Course:
  • GDSN 4301: Graphic Design Capstone | 3 hours
  • GDSN 4240: Adv. Projects: Graphic Design | 2 hours
  • GDSN 4250: Adv. Projects: Interactive Design | 2 hours
  • ELEC: Adv. Art or Design Elective | 3 hours
  • PHIL 3375: Aesthetics: Philosophy of Art and Beauty | 3 hours
  • History Core | 3 hours Total Hours: 16
• Spring Course:
  • GDSN 4320: Senior BFA Promotion | 3 hours
  • GDSN 4303: Senior Portfolio | 3 hours
  • ELEC: Adv. Art or Design Elective | 3 hours
  • RELS course | 3 hours Total Hours: 12

Portfolio Review

A portfolio review is required prior to entering the second year of the program. Failure to pass the portfolio review will result in not continuing the graphic design program. However, it is optional to retry passing the portfolio review.